Press digest – February 15
VN environmental industry development plan ratified
By 2025, the environmental industry will become an economic sector which makes crucial contribution to the economy, meets demands of protecting the domestic environment and gradually exports competitive technology, equipment, services and products of environmental protection.
The PM has approved the Viet Nam environmental industry development plan by 2025.
It heads to meet around 70-80% of water supply and water waste treatment demands, 60-70% of demands for treating and recycling solid waste, 60-70% of demands for environmental protection products, 60-70% of energy-saving and energy-efficient equipment and technologies; and export 20-30% of environmental industry products.
USAID Community HIV Link-Southern Project approved
The PM has ratified the investment of the USAID Community HIV Link-Southern Project, which is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) though a non-refundable aid.
The project, worth US$2.1 million, will be realized within five years in Ho Chi Minh City.
It aims to strengthen community HIV/AIDS services to support a sustainable national HIV/AIDS response.
VN attends meeting of G20 foreign ministers
Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh will attend the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers in Germany’s Bonn city on February 16-17.
This is the first time the host of APEC Year, which is not a member of G20, is invited to attend the event.
The participation in the meeting is aimed at affirming Viet Nam’s active and dynamic international and multi-lateral guidelines and manifesting the role of the host of APEC 2017 in cooperation and connection in the Asia-Pacific region and promoting priorities of Viet Nam in the APEC Year 2017.
VN, Laos boost banking cooperation
They vowed to encourage and facilitate partnerships between Vietnamese and Lao commercial banks, contributing to stimulating investment and trade ties between the two countries.-
VN congratulates Germany’s newly-elected President
Viet Nam congratulates Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his election as President of Germany for the 2017 – 2020 term, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh said on February 15.
“Viet Nam believes that in his new position, Frank-Walter Steinmeier will continue to support the promotion of the strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Germany for the result-oriented and effective development of bilateral ties in the interests of their people,” he noted.
The spokesperson added that President Tran Dai Quang sent a congratulatory message to Frank-Walter Steinmeier on February 15 for his election.
Da Nang International Airport to be inaugurated in late March
By March 29, Da Nang International Airport will be completed, welcoming the first flight and then operating on a trial basis from April to September 2017.
The construction of the terminal began in November 2015 with a total investment of VND3,504 billion on an area of 21,000 square meters.
VN – fifth largest exporter to Canada in Asia
Viet Nam remained the fifth biggest exporter to Canada in Asia and took the lead in ASEAN in two-way trade turnover with Canada in 2016.
Viet Nam-Canada trade turnover in 2016 reached US$4.14 billion, an increase of 1.1% year-on-year, according to Canadian statistics.
Viet Nam’s exports to Canada attained US$3.7 billion (up 17.1%) while its import turnover achieved US$396.5 million (down 23.2%).
The Southeast Asian nation gained US$3.3 billion in trade surplus with Canada, up 24.7% compared to the previous year.
India becomes 14th largest investor in VN in January
India has continuously improved its ranking among top investors in Viet Nam in fields of newly-registered capital and additional capital, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
India jumped from the 21st largest investor in Viet Nam in 2014 to 19th in 2016 and 14th in January 2017.
By Thuy Dung
